DUSHANBE, July 17, 2009, Asia-Plus — An official opening ceremony of commencement of works on two projects in the framework of the Japanese Grant Assistance — the Project for the Improvement of Dusti-Nizhny Panj (Phase II) and the Project for the Improvement of Qurghon Teppa-Dusti Road – was held at 58 km of the road Qurghon Teppa-Dusti in Khatlon’s Qumsangir district today, according to the JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) Dushanbe Office.
The ceremony was attended by Khatlon Governor Ghaybullo Afzalov, First Deputy Minister of Transport and Communication Beg Zuhurov and Charge d”Affaires of the Embassy of Japan in Dushanbe Yoshihiro Nakayama.
The given projects will be implemented in close cooperation with the Ministry of Transport and Communication of the Republic of Tajikistan. The Qurghon Teppa-Dusti and Dusti-Nizhny Panj roads are running in the southern part of the Corridor South-North and further link with “Dusti” Bridge across the Panj River, which links Tajikistan with Afghanistan. Improvement of the roads will strengthen regional economic development, international trade in Central Asia and cooperation of the Republic of Tajikistan with such neighboring countries as Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran. The roads will provide transport connection between south and north and will allow Tajikistan access to the Indian Ocean.
The said projects become possible due to Grant Assistance from the Government of Japan and will be carried out by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The projects involve Japanese consulting companies Ingerosek, Katahira Engineering International and construction companies NIPPO and DAI NIPPON.
These two projects includes roads repair with the total length of 60 km. The grant assistance amounts to 4,756,000,000 Japanese Yen (approximately US$51,000,000). Completion of works is expected in the next 3 years.
Implementation of the projects will allow increasing passengers carriage and cargo transfer as well as strengthening relations and friendship between neighboring countries.
